the writings-6-第20章

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so；　than　you　can　in　any　foreign　Country；　and　hence　you　may　come　to

the　conclusion　that　you　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　idea　of　going　to

a　foreign　country。



This　is　（I　speak　in　no　unkind　sense）　an　extremely　selfish　view　of　the

case。　　You　ought　to　do　something　to　help　those　who　are　not　so

fortunate　as　yourselves。　　There　is　an　unwillingness　on　the　part　of

our　people；　harsh　as　it　may　be；　for　you　free　colored　people　to　remain

with　us。　　Now；　if　you　could　give　a　start　to　the　white　people；　you

would　open　a　wide　door　for　many　to　be　made　free。　　If　we　deal　with

those　who　are　not　free　at　the　beginning；　and　whose　intellects　are

clouded　by　slavery；　we　have　very　poor　material　to　start　with。　　If

intelligent　colored　men；　such　as　are　before　me；　would　move　in　this

matter；　much　might　be　accomplished。



It　is　exceedingly　important　that　we　have　men　at　the　beginning　capable

of　thinking　as　white　men；　and　not　those　who　have　been　systematically

oppressed。　　There　is　much　to　encourage　you。　　For　the　sake　of　your

race　you　should　sacrifice　something　of　your　present　comfort　for　the

purpose　of　being　as　grand　in　that　respect　as　the　white　people。　　It　is

a　cheering　thought　throughout　life　that　something　can　be　done　to

ameliorate　the　condition　of　those　who　have　been　subject　to　the　hard

usages　of　the　world。　　It　is　difficult　to　make　a　man　miserable　while

he　feels　he　is　worthy　of　himself　and　claims　kindred　to　the　great　God

who　made　him。　　In　the　American　Revolutionary　war　sacrifices　were　made

by　men　engaged　in　it；　but　they　were　cheered　by　the　future。　　General

WASHINGTON　himself　endured　greater　physical　hardships　than　if　he　had

remained　a　British　subject；　yet　he　was　a　happy　man　because　he　had

engaged　in　benefiting　his　race；　in　doing　something　for　the　children

of　his　neighbors；　having　none　of　his　own。



The　colony　of　Liberia　has　been　in　existence　a　long　time。　　In　a

certain　sense　it　is　a　success。　　The　old　President　of　Liberia；

Roberts；　has　just　been　with　methe　first　time　I　ever　saw　him。　　He

says　they　have　within　the　bounds　of　that　colony　between　three　and

four　hundred　thousand　people；　or　more　than　in　some　of　our　old　States；

such　as　Rhode　Island　or　Delaware；　or　in　some　of　our　newer　States；　and

less　than　in　some　of　our　larger　ones。　　They　are　not　all　American

colonists　or　their　descendants。　　Something　less　than　12；000　have　been

sent　thither　from　this　country。　　Many　of　the　original　settlers　have

died；　yet；　like　people　else…where；　their　offspring　outnumber　those

deceased。　　The　question　is；　if　the　colored　people　are　persuaded　to　go

anywhere；　why　not　there？



One　reason　for　unwillingness　to　do　so　is　that　some　of　you　would

rather　remain　within　reach　of　the　country　of　your　nativity。　　I　do　not

know　how　much　attachment　you　may　have　toward　our　race。　　It　does　not

strike　me　that　you　have　the　greatest　reason　to　love　them。　　But　still

you　are　attached　to　them；　at　all　events。



The　place　I　am　thinking　about　for　a　colony　is　in　Central　America。　　It

is　nearer　to　us　than　Liberia　not　much　more　than　one　fourth　as　far　as

Liberia；　and　within　seven　days'　run　by　steamers。　　Unlike　Liberia；　it

is　a　great　line　of　travelit　is　a　highway。　　The　country　is　a　very

excellent　one　for　any　people；　and　with　great　natural　resources　and

advantages；　and　especially　because　of　the　similarity　of　climate　with

your　native　soil；　thus　being　suited　to　your　physical　condition。　　The

particular　place　I　have　in　view　is　to　be　a　great　highway　from　the

Atlantic　or　Caribbean　Sea　to　the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　this　particular

place　has　all　the　advantages　for　a　colony。　　On　both　sides　there　are

harborsamong　the　finest　in　the　world。　　Again；　there　is　evidence　of

very　rich　coal…mines。　　A　certain　amount　of　coal　is　valuable　in　any

country。　　Why　I　attach　so　much　importance　to　coal　is；　it　will　afford

an　opportunity　to　the　inhabitants　for　immediate　employment　till　they

get　ready　to　settle　permanently　in　their　homes。　　If　you　take

colonists　where　there　is　no　good　landing；　there　is　a　bad　show；　and　so

where　there　is　nothing　to　cultivate　and　of　which　to　make　a　farm。　　But

if　something　is　started　so　that　you　can　get　your　daily　bread　as　soon

as　reach　you　there；　it　is　a　great　advantage。　　Coal　land　is　the　best

thing　I　know　of　with　which　to　commence　an　enterprise。　　To　returnyou

have　been　talked　to　upon　this　subject；　and　told　that　a　speculation　is

intended　by　gentlemen　who　have　an　interest　in　the　country；　including

the　coal…mines。　　We　have　been　mistaken　all　our　lives　if　we　do　not

know　whites；　as　well　as　blacks；　look　to　their　self…interest。　　Unless

among　those　deficient　of　intellect；　everybody　you　trade　with　makes

something。　　You　meet　with　these　things　here　and　everywhere。　　If　such

persons　have　what　will　be　an　advantage　to　them；　the　question　is

whether　it　cannot　be　made　of　advantage　to　you。　　　You　are　intelligent；

and　know　that　success　does　not　so　much　depend　on　external　help　as　on

self…reliance。　　Much；　therefore；　depends　upon　yourselves。　　As　to　the

coal…mines；　I　think　I　see　the　means　available　for　your　self…reliance。

I　shall；　if　I　get　a　sufficient　number　of　you　engaged；　have　provision

made　that　you　shall　not　be　wronged。　　If　you　will　engage　in　the

enterprise；　I　will　spend　some　of　the　money　intrusted　to　me。　　I　am　not

sure　you　will　succeed。　　The　government　may　lose　the　money；　but　we

cannot　succeed　unless　we　try；　and　we　think　with　care　we　can　succeed。

The　political　affairs　in　Central　America　are　not　in　quite　as

satisfactory　a　condition　as　I　wish。　　There　are　contending　factions　in

that　quarter；　but　it　is　true　all　the　factions　are　agreed　alike　on　the

subject　of　colonization；　and　want　it；　and　are　more　generous　than　we

are　here。



To　your　colored　race　they　have　no　objection　　I　would　endeavor　to　have

you　made　the　equals；　and　have　the　best　assurance　that　you　should　be

the　equals；　of　the　best。



The　practical　thing　I　want　to　ascertain　is　whether　I　can　get　a　number

of　able…bodied　men；　with　their　wives　and　children；　who　are　willing　to

go　when　I　present　evidence　of　encouragement　and　protection。　　Could　I

get　a　hundred　tolerably　intelligent　men；　with　their　wives　and

children；　and　able　to　〃cut　their　own　fodder；〃　so　to　speak？　　Can　I

have　fifty？　　If　I　could　find　twenty…five　able…bodied　men；　with　a

mixture　of　women　and　childrengood　things　in　the　family　relation；　I

think；I　could　make　a　successful　commencement。　　I　want　you　to　let　me

know　whether　this　can　be　done　or　not。　　This　is　the　practical　part　of

my　wish　to　see　you。　　These　are　subjects　of　very　great　importance；

worthy　of　a　month's　study；　instead　of　a　speech　delivered　in　an　hour。

I　ask　you；　then；　to　consider　seriously；　not　pertaining　to　yourselves

merely；　nor　for　your　race　and　ours　for　the　present　time；　but　as　one

of　the　things；　if　successfully　managed；　the　good　of　mankindnot

confined　to　the　present　generation；　but　as



　　　　〃From　age　to　age　descends　the　lay

　　　　　To　millions　yet　to　be；

　　　　　Till　far　its　echoes　roll　away

　　　　　Into　eternity。〃



The　above　is　merely　given　as　the　substance　of　the　President's

remarks。



The　chairman　of　the　delegation　briefly　replied　that　they　would　hold　a

consultation；　and　in　a　short　time　give　an　answer。



The　President　said：　Take　your　full　time…no　hurry　at　all。



The　delegation　then　withdrew。









TELEGRAM　TO　OFFICER　AT　CAMP　CHASE；　OHIO。



WAR　DEPARTMENT；　WASHINGTON；　D。　C。；　August　14；　1862。



OFFICER　in　charge　of　Confederate　prisoners　at　Camp　Chase；　Ohio：



It　is　believed　that　a　Dr。　J。　J。　Williams　is　a　prisoner　in　your

charge；　and　if　so　tell　him　his　wife　is　here　and　allow　him　to

telegraph　to　her。



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　HIRAM　BARNEY。



EXECUTIVE　MANSION；　WASHINGTON；　August　16；　1862。



HON。　HIRAM　BARNEY；　New　York：



Mrs。　L。　has　1000　for　the　benefit　of　the　hospitals　and　she　will　be

obliged；　and　send　the　pay；　if　you　will　be　so　good　as　to　select　and

send　her　200　worth　of　good　lemons　and　100　worth　of　good　oranges。



A。　LINCOLN。









NOTE　OF　INTRODUCTION。